The Darling Downs Croquet community was delighted to host another successful tournament in February 2026, with play conducted across the three Toowoomba clubs and ably assisted by Dalby Croquet Club. The weekend brought together players from across Queensland and northern New South Wales, creating a strong field of competition and a fantastic atmosphere throughout.
A sincere thank you to all players who travelled to Toowoomba to be part of the weekend, as well as to the many volunteers and organisers whose efforts ensured the smooth running of events.
Association Events
Our premier event, the Rene Cole Trophy, saw a full field of 12 players and produced a thrilling final, with Dave Luxmoore (Burleigh Heads Palm Beach) defeating defending champion Chris Borlase (Stephens) in a Golden Point finish.
Association Results
Rene Cole Trophy (Premier): Dave Luxmoore (Burleigh Heads Palm Beach) def. Chris Borlase (Stephens) — Golden Point
Division 2 — Joy Gardner Trophy: Elaine Berridge (Stephens) on hoops countback from Terry Kearney (Toowoomba)
Division 3 — June Brady Trophy: Casey DeVene (Eildon) — undefeated, ahead of Frank Meek (Isis)
Division 4 — Betty Belz Trophy: Bob Wilson (Point Lookout) ahead of Penny Wilson
Ricochet Events
Ricochet Singles were held for the first time this year, with a new trophy introduced in honour of Russell Belz, who established Ricochet at the tournament in 2012.
Ricochet Results
Singles Tier A: Joy Wright (Laurel Bank) from Frank Meek (Isis)
Singles Tier B: Julie Kiessling (Hervey Bay) from Bob Wilson (Point Lookout)
Doubles — Ros Dryden Trophy: Penny & Bob Wilson (Point Lookout) def. Frank Meek (Isis) & Betty Salter (Toowoomba) on countback
Q. What is the computer's favourite snack food? A. Microchips!
Golf Singles
The Graham Barron Golf Croquet Singles once again attracted a strong field.
Golf Singles Results
Tier A: Steve Bickley (Bribie Island) def. Werner Borkhardt (Byron Bay)
Tier B: Narelle Wright (Coutts Crossing) from Ann Brooks (Wynnum)
Tier C: Helen McKay (Byron Bay) def. Garry Barnes (Nambour)
The New Reynolds Trophy
A highlight of the weekend was the introduction of a new Golf Croquet Doubles trophy. Our only long running event without a trophy was GC doubles and it seemed fitting to name it after two people very instrumental in keeping this tournament running for almost 20 years.
Paul and Sandra Reynolds worked in the background from 2007, actively becoming part of the Darling Downs Tournament Committee in 2010. This coincided with the introduction of Golf Croquet to our program.
In 2012 there seemed to be little interest in continuing Golf Croquet. How times have changed with GC being the most popular with our tournament alone attracting 34 singles players and 48 doubles players this year. Paul Reynolds and Des Shore took on the responsibility of Golf in 2012 and the tournament has not looked back.
Thanks to both Sandra and Paul we have achieved great things in this time. I want to personally thank them for all the support they've given the committee and myself over the last 10 years. We've endured the extremes in weather, 38 degrees down to 10 degrees, floods and drought. Covid hit us in 2020 and since then we haven't looked back. Sandra and Paul have always stepped in to play when needed and always been the first to offer assistance. We thank them for their tireless efforts and fittingly named our golf doubles trophy in their honour. Congratulations Paul and Sandra Reynolds.
Golf Doubles Results — Paul & Sandra Reynolds Trophy
Tier A: Werner Borkhardt & Dennise Simmons (Byron Bay) def. Robert Kidd & Lorraine Hathaway (Eildon)
Tier B: Carol Kleidon (Wynnum) & Jenny Ross-Maloney (Windsor) def. Peter & Judy DeVene (Eildon)
Tier C: Sue Bryan & Jenny Charnock (Woolgoolga) def. Peter Wright & Ian Darlington (Laurel Bank)
The success of the tournament would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Toowoomba City Golf Club, Merlo Coffee, Gelatissimo, Bunnings, Empire Theatre, Toowoomba Sports Club, Club Glenvale, and The Store Room.
Overall, the 2026 Tournament showcased high-quality croquet, strong competition, and the continued growth of the sport across the region. We look forward to welcoming players back to Toowoomba again next year.